Driving unit for boats



Jan. l', 1944; 1 G. BERQUIST 2,338,796

DRIVING UNIT FOR BOATS l Filed March 17, 1941 I 2' She-ets-Sheet 1- T 5INVENTOR.

1 "fo/VARDGf/saa/s .BYIW @amy/@pow MTORNEYSy Jan. 11, 1944. L. G.BERQUls-r DRIVING UNIT Foa' isoA'I'S Filed March 1.7-, 1941 v 2sheets-sheet 2 INVENTOR 50M/W0 6. Sama/57 A TTORNEYS Patented Jan. 11,1944 UNETE STATES erger ore-ice 9 Claims.

This invention relates to a driving unit for boats and particularly tothe mounting and supporting of propeller shafts for inboard motor boats.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a driving unit forboats whereby the driving motor may be resiliently mounted by means ofrubber pads or the like so that the motor vibration will be partiallyabsorbed and the transmission of such vibrations to the structure of theboat will be substantially prevented.

Another object of the invention is to provide a supporting and mountingmeans for the propeller shaft of an inboard motor boat which can besecured to the boat without the necessity of any shait packing or thelike between the boat structure and the parts which projecttherethrough.

Another object of the invention is to provide a supporting and mountingmeans for the propeller shaft of an inboard motor boat which is a self-Contained unit carrying the necessaryV bearings and seals for thepropeller shaft.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a driving unit for aboat including a motor,

a propeller shaft and a supporting housing for the shaft, all connectedin a unit. By this construction the entire unit may be assembled in aboat merely by mounting it in place without requiring any special sealsor packings in the boat structure.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a driving unit forboats in which the propeller shaft is enclosed and supported in atubular housing and the housing is yieldingly supported in the boat.Preferably the housing is mounted by a rubber gasket bonded to thehousing or to a fiange rigid therewith and to a supporting member whichmay be rigidly secured to the boat.

A further object of the invention is to provide a driving unit for aboat including a liquid seal construction which creates substantially nofriction and yet which provides an eiective seal against the iiow ofliquid along the propeller shaft.

The above and other objects, advantages and novel features of theinvention will be more readily apparent from the following descriptionwhen read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation oi a boat embodying the invention, withparts broken away;

Figure 2 is a central section along the propeller shaft of the boat ofFigure 1;

Figure 3 is a partial plan View;

i Figures 4 and 5 are sections on the lines 4--4 and 5-5 respectively ofFigure 2;

Figures 6 and 7 are partial views similar to Figure 2, illustrating analternative construction;

Figure 8 is an enlarged section through the liquid seal of Figure 2; and

Figure 9 is a partial diagrammatic view showing an alternativearrangement.

The invention is applicable to any type of boat having an inboard motorand is illustrated in Figure 1 in connection with a runabout or speedboat having a slightly curved keel IE! and two cockpits i I. A motor I2is mounted inboard between the cockpts at an angle to the horizontal andthe motor drive shaft is connected to a propeller shaft extendingthrough a tubular housing i3 passing through the keel. A propeller l ismounted at the rearward end of the housing I3 and is driven by thepropeller shaft.

As best seen in Figure 2, the motor drive shaft is arrangedsubstantially in alignment with the propeller shaft i5 and is connectedthereto through a coupling It. If desired, as for example when thepropeller shaft and motor shaft cannot be mounted in exact alignment,the coupling H may be a exible coupling such as a universal joint. Thisconstruction is illustrated in Figure 9 which shows the motor I2 mountedhorizontally with the housing i 3 and propeller shaft I5 at an anglethereto, and with a universal joint Ilia between the motor shaft and thepropeller shaft. The propeller shaft I5 is rotatably supported at theouter end of the housing I3 in a bearing I1 which may be of rubber orthe like. Openings l5 in the tubular housing enable water to circulateover and around the bearing to cool and to lubricate it. It will benoted that no additional bearings for the propeller shaft i5 arerequired, the forward end thereof being supported by the motor drivingshaft.

A liquid seal, indicated generally at I9, is mounted between thepropeller shaft I5' and the tubular housing i3 adjacent the inner endthereof, and at a point ciosely spaced from the coupling I6.

As best seen in Figure 8, the seal comprises a series of spaced discs ZIformed of flexible material such as feit or fabric impregnated withgraphite or the like. The discs 2E are supported in spaced relation onthe propeller shaft I5 by metal collars 22 fitting closely on thepropeller shaft and squeezed together against the discs by bolts 23.interleaved with the discs 2| there are a. series of spaced metal discs24 supported by collars fitting closely against the inner surface of thetubular housing I3.

The discs 2I and 24 are normally spaced slightly apart as seen in Figure8. If water should attempt to rise through the tubular housing i3, itwould press the discs 2| into sealing contact with the discs 24 so as toseal the spaces against the passage of water. At high speeds,centrifugal force acting on the discs 2| tends to straighten them outand also tends to throw the Water from the outer periphery thereof sothat it cannot flow past the seal. Thus this construction provides aneffective seal at all times and imposes substantially no friction on thepropeller shaft, particularly during high speed operation.

The housing I3 is rigily secured by means of bolts 26 or similarfastenings to the rearward end of the motor casing I2. Thus the housing,the motor and the propeller shaft form a unitary assembly which isentirely self contained so that no external bearings or seals arerequired for the propeller shaft. This assembly may be supported in theboat by the usual mounting brackets 21 on the motor and by yieldinglyfastening the tubular housing I3 to the keel 0r other structure of theboat through which it projects.

In accordance with the most modern practice for mounting engines inboats, automobiles or the like, the brackets 21 may be secured to theboat by means of rubber or resilient pads 21A, providing a relativelyflexible mounting adapted to partially absorb the motor vibrations andprevent the'transmission of such vibrations to the boat. Thus theunitary structure just described with the tube or housing I3 flexiblysealed and supported where it passes through the structure of the boatovercomes the many diiculties which have arisen in attempts to provideflexible mounting in boats having propeller shafts mounted in bearingsand stuffing boxes rigidly secured to the boat.

As seen in Figures 1 and 2, the housing I3 projects through the angularopening in the keel of the boat, the opening being slightly larger thanthe tubular housing so as to permit limited movement thereof. Thehousing is formed with an annular flange 28 extending therearound andlying at such an angle as to be substantially parallel to the keel ofthe boat. A rubber gasket or bushing 29 is bonded at one side to theunder surface of the flange 28, and on its other side to a supportingplate 3l. In assembling the structure in a boat, it is necessary only tosecure the engine on its mountings and to fasten the supporting plate 3|rigidly to the keel of the boat. The plates 23 and 3I together With therubber gasket 29 form a water tight connection to the boat keel whichWill permit slight movement of the housing I 3 caused by vibration ofthe motor or of the propeller. While the mounting and supportingstructure has been illustrated on the upper surface of the keel, it willbe understood that it could equally well be placed on the outsidesurface or that, if desired in the case of larger boats, similarsupporting structures could be provided on both sides of the keel.

In the embodiment of Figure 6, the flange 28 is replaced by a flange 32extending around the housing I3 at substantially a right angle thereto.A rubber gasket 33 is bonded on one side to the flange 32 and on itsopposite Side to an annular flange 34. The flange 34 is supported by asemi-tubular structure 35, terminating in a flange 33 adapted to overlieand to be secured to the keel of the boat. This construction is similarto that of Figures 1 to 5 except that a smaller rubber gasket isrequired, limited movement of the tube I3 due to yielding of the gasket,however, being provided as in Figures 1 to 5.

In the embodiment of Figure 7, the tubular housing I3 does not requireany flange, but has bonded to its outer surface a rubber gasket orbushing 37, the opposite side of which is bonded to a metal sleeve 38adapted to lit securely in the opening in the keel. The sleeve 38 ispreferably formed with a flange 39 overlying and secured to 'the keelsurface. This construction likewise provides for limited movement of thehousing I3 due to yielding of the rubber gasket 37, and is otherwisesimilar to the embodiments described above.

While several embodiments of the invention have been shown and describedin detail, it will be understood that these are illustrative only andare not intended as a definition of the scopeof the invention, referencebeing had for this purpose to the appended claims.

Vv'hat is claimed is:

l. A driving unit for a boat comprising a propeller shaft extendingthrough the keel of the boat, a tube around the shaft and extendingrloosely through the keel of the boat, a bearing for the shaft carried bysaid tube radjacent its outer end, a flange on the tube, a rubber gasketbonded on one side to the flange, and a supporting member secured to theboat and having a surface engaging and bonded to the other side of thegasket.

2. A driving unit for a boat comprising a propeller shaft extendingthrough the keel of the boat, a tube around the shaft and extendingloosely through the keel of the boat, a bearing for the shaft carried bysaid tube adjacent its outer end, a flange around said tube at an anglethereto so as to lie substantially parallel to the keel of the boat, asupporting plate secured to the keel of the boat and underlying theflange, and a rubber gasket bonded to the flange and the supportingplate and yieldingly connecting the tube to the boat.

3. A driving unit for a boat comprising a propeller shaft extendingthrough the keel of the boat, a tube around the shaft and extendingloosely through the keel of the boat, a bearing for the shaft carried bysaid tube adjacent its outer end, a ange around the tube atsubstantially a right angle to the axis thereof, a second flange looselysurrounding the tube, means rigidly connecting the second Flange to theboat. and a rubber gasket bonded to said flanges.

4. A driving unit for a boat comprising a propeller shaft extendingthrough the keel of the boat, a tube around the shaft and extendingloosely through the keel of the boat, a bearing for the shaft carried bysaid tube adjacent its outer end, a metal sleeve extending through thekeel of the boat and spaced from the tube, and a rubber gasket memberlying between and bonded to the metal sleeve and the tube.

5. In a driving unit for a boat having a propeller shaft and a tubesurrounding the shaft, a liquid seal comprising an annular disc offlexible material, an annular metal disc spaced slightly from the firstnamed disc, the first named disc being adapted to be pressed intosealing contact with the metal disc by the pressure of liquid, one ofsaid discs being secured to the shaft at its inner edge and the otherdisc being secured to the tube at its outer edge.

6. In a driving unit for a boat having a propeller shaft and a tubesurrounding the shaft, a liquid seal comprising a series of annulardiscs of exible material, a series of annular metal discs interleavedwith the flexible discs and normally spaced slightly therefrom, oneseries of discs being secured to the shaft and the other series beingsecured to the tube.

'7. A driving unit for a boat comprising a motor having a casing and adrive shaft, a propeller shaft drivably connected to the drive shaft, atube surrounding the propeller shaft and rigidly secured at one end tothe motor casing, a bearing carried by said tube adjacent its other endrotatably supporting the propeller shaft, a liquid seal in the tube forpreventing passage of Water between the tube and the shaft, andresilient means carried by said unit for resiliently mounting it in aboat.

8. A driving unit for a boat comprising a motor having a casing and adrive shaft, a propeller shaft drivably connected to the drive shaft, atube surrounding the propeller shaft and rigidly secured at one end tothe motor casing, a bearing carried by said tube adjacent its other endrotat ably supporting the propeller shaft, and a liquid seal in the tubefor preventing passage of Water1 between the tube and the shaft, andsupporting means yieldingly carried by said tube and formed forconnection to a boat yieldingly to support the tube in the boat.

9. A driving unit for a boat comprising a motor having a casing and adrive shaft, a propeller shaft drivably connected to the drive shaft, atube surrounding the propeller shaft and rigidly secured at one end tothe motor casing, a bearing carried by said tube adjacent its other endrotatably supporting the propeller shaft, a liquid seal in the tube forpreventing passage of water between the tube and the shaft, andsupporting means for yieldingly connecting the tube to a boat includinga supporting member formed for rigid connection to the boat and a rubbergasket bonded to said supporting member and to a part rigid with thetube.

LEONARD G. BERQUIST.

